Automobile door locking structure



June 24, 1941. E. D. DALL AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING STRUCTUREl Filed'Feb. 2S, 14'o 2 swaps-sheet 1 .June 2% 941.

E. D. DALL.

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING STRUCTURE 4 Filed Feb. 25, 1940 2 sheets-smet 2 f'owneo 5. au.

Patented June *H .UNrrED STATES Ilierlezls'r FFICE y AUTOMOBILE 'DOOR LOCKING STRUCTURE Edward D. Dall, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Walter F. Wright, Cleveland Heights, h10

' Appuaupn February als, 1944i, serial No. scosso '4 cleans. (el. cca-u1) My invention relates to locking structure adapted particularly for doors of automotive vehicles such as automobiles.

lin important object of the invention is to provide lockA structure forca door in which latch bolt elementsare controllable by operation of the outside or inside handle of the door for latch-l ing or unlatching of the door, and with additional means for locking the door independently of the 4latch bolt elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide los: locking or unlocking of the additional bolting mechanism by a key from the outside of the door or by a lever onthe inside of the door operable independently of the door handle.

Another important object is 'the provision of additional means whereby the locking or unlocking of the additional lock bolt structure may be accomplished by manipulation of the door inside handle and so that by manipulation of the door inside handle the latch bolt elements may be unlatched andthe additional lock bolting structure unlocked for opening of the door.

The invention also includes other features of arrangement and. operation, yand all the'various Afeatures are incorporated in the drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is an outside elevation of the locking structure on a door and cooperating parts on a door post or frame;

Figure 2 is a section on plane II--II of Figure Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the latching controlling elements in a different position;

Figure 4 is a section on plane IV-IV of Figure 1 showing the latching sition; v

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the latching elementh on their way toward latching engagement;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the main latch boltstructure;

elements latching po- Figure 7 is a 'front elevation of inside door handle assembly; and

Figure Bris al front elevationof the additional lock bolt structure showing it in locking position.

The various operating parts for the lock structure shown are mounted on a supporting frame of angularcross-section comprising the wall I0 extending substantially parallel with the plane of the door, .and the wall Il which is parallel with the free edge of the door and is secured to the edge wall I2 of the door as by screws, rivets, or other means.

The spindle i3 for the outside door handle It is journalled in any suitable manner in the lock housing wall I0 and the outer wall I5 of the door frame, and between the wall t0 .and a cover plate It secured thereto is a roll back l1 secured to the spindle it. A transmission link i8 entends into the cover structure it lor engagement and longitudinal downward shift by the roll back when the outside handle is swung downwardly. At its lower end the It is forked to receive a pin i9 extending ma one leg of a bell cranlr lever 2u which tu plvoted on the wall it by a suitable support I2t. The other leg `of the lever 2t has a pin 22 extending A therefrom through an arcuate guide slot all in the wall it. vThe lever 20 near its lower end has a forwardly extending abutment llt for engageinent with latch'bolt controlling mechanism,

to .he described later. A spring 25 anchored to the pivot support 2l and engaging the abutment 2t tends to hold the lever 2li swung to its normal position with the pin 22 engaging the outer end of the slot 23. Another spring 2E is anchored tothe support 2| and engages an abutment il on the link i8 and tends to hold the link in its upper position in engagement with the roll back Il. Upon downward swing of the outside handie it the downward shift of the link by the roll back will effect clockwise (Figure 1) rotation o! the lever 20 against the resistance of' the springs 25 and t6. i

Figure 27 shows an inside handle assembly for the door, the assembly shown comprising a plate 28 secured to the door frame and having secured thereto a cover structure 29 between whichand the plate is received the arm 31| which is secured to the shaft 8l on the inside oi which is mounted the inside handle 32. A strap 33 extends from the lower end of the arm 30, the

-llnlr at its outer end extending behind the lock structure I0 and having a longitudinal slot 24 which receives the pin 22 extending from the control elements. the main latch bolt 35 is of the rocking type and is substantially U-shaped as shown on Figure 6 to provide the latching leg 36 and setting leg 31. The latch bolt is within a rectangular cup-shaped housing 38 on the wall I I and extending outwardly through the opening 39 provided in the door edge wall I2. The housing may have a ange 40 by which it is secured to the wall Il by welding, riveting, or otherwise. A pin 4| extends transversely through the housing and is secured at its ends to the wall Il and to the outer wall of the housing 38, the main latch bolt 35 receiving this pin for rocking movement thereon.

The setting leg 31 of the latch bolt has an arcuate lug 42 thereon concentric with the pin 4I and extending inwardly through the arcuate slot 43 in the wall Il. The spring 44 is anchored on a post 45 on the wall Il and has one end engaging the abutment 46 on the wall Il and its other end engaging a pin 41 on the lug 42 of the latch bolt, this spring tending to swing the latch bolt structure in clockwise direction (Figure 2) toward the upper end of the slot 43, for positioning of the latch bolt in cocked position with its latching leg 36 extending horizontally and its setting leg 31 inclined, as shown on Figures 3 and 5.

The main latch bolt 35 cooperates with a keeper structure 48 secured to a door post or frame F adjacent to the door. The keeper structure is of U-shaped cross-section, its lower wall 43 being horizontal and straight, the upper wall 53 intermediate its ends being deflected downwardly to form a latching abutment I. Figures 3 and 5 show the latch bolt in cocked position and Figure 5 shows the door being closed, the latch bolt housing 38 entering the keeper and moving therein between the lower wall 49 and the abutment 5I. As the door continues'its closing movement, the setting leg 31 of the latch bolt will encounter the front side of the latching abutment 5l and the latch bolt will be rocked to swing its leg 36 into latching engagement with the latching abutment 5| at the rear side thereof as shown on Figure 4.

ATo hold the latch bolt in its cocked position or in its latching position, inner and outer dogging elements 52 and 53 are provided, these elements being in the form of plates slotted to receive guide posts 54 extending from the wall il, the plates having the downwardly extending legs 52 and 53 resctively, the plates and legs at their inner edges engaging the wall il. The lower edges of the plates are arcuate for engagement with the top of the abutment 42 on the latchbolt 35, and the outer edges of the plates are beveled to provide wedging surfaces for engagement with the upper end of the abutment 42. The leg 52' of the plate 52' has its lower end 55 deflected inwardly to be below the lower end of the leg 53 of the outer plate, as shown on Figure 1, the end 55 being above the abutment 24 on the setting lever 20 so that when this lever is rotated in clockwise direction either by operation of the outside or inside door handle, the dogging elements 52 and 53 will be shifted upwardly to vcarry their lower edges above the path of the latch bolt abutment 42 so that the latch bolt may assume its cocked position shown on Figure 5. Springs 56 and 51 tend to shift the dogging elements downwardly so that when they are released from the lever 20 they will be shifted down for engagement against the top of the abutment 42 to hold the latch bolt in its cocked position as shown on Figure 3. When the door is swung shut for latching swing oi the latch bolt 35, the springs will shift the dogging elements downwardly with their wedging edges engaging with the upper end of the latch bolt abutment 42 toshift the latch 'bolt around` to its final latching position for complete closure of the door and then the dogging elements will lock the latch bolt in its latching position shown on Figures 2 and 4. The dogging elements and their wedging surfaces are so related that during the latching operation of the door I yby the latch bolt the inner dogging element 52 will rst engage its wedging edge with the abutment 42 and then the outer dogging element applies its wedging edge to the abutment and both springs 56 and 51 will then exert downward pressure for wedging the latch bolt around to its final latching position for complete closure of the door and thereafter the door will be held securely latched lting lever 20, the outer leg 63 of the lever being deflected to provide the latching plate 64 cooperable with the keeper structure 48. A spring 65 anchored on the post 45 engages the abutment 46 on the plate Il and the abutment projection 66 on the lever 6l and tends to hold this lever in the position shown in Figure 2' with the latching end or plate 64 substantially in the plane' of the door. At its forward end the upper wall 50 of the keeper structure 48 is deiiected downwardly a distance to form a. keeper lip 61. When the door is swung shut, the latch plate along its upper portion will encounter the keeper lip 61, as indicated on Figure 5, and the lever 6l will be rotated in anti-clockwise direction (Figure 2) to carry the latch plate to the dotted position shown until its upper edge is below the keeper lip 61, and then the spring 65 will swing the lever 6l back so that the upper portion of the latch plate 64 will be above and behind the keeper lip as indicated on Figure 5. Thus, if the door is not suciently closed for latching engagement of the main latching bolt 35 with the keeper structure, the safety latch bolt will hold the door against swinging open. This safety latch bolt operates independently of the main latch bolt.

When the door is in locked position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and either the door inside handle or outside handle is operated for unlatching and opening of the door, the dogging elements 52 and 53 and the safety latch bolt lever 6l will be operated for release of the main latch boit and the safety latch bolt from the keeper structure. As shown on Figure l, when the door is locked, the extension 55 at the lower end of the inner dogging member 52 is a distance below the end of the outer dogging element 53, and the end 62 ofthe safety latch lever is a distance above the extension 55. Now when either door handle is swung for unlatching of the door, the abutment 24 on the setting lever 20 will first engage with the deflection 55 at the lower end of the inner dogging element 52 and this element will be raised to withdraw 'its wedging edge from the abutment 42on the main latch bolt 35. When the end 55 reaches the lower end of the outer dogging element 53 both dogging elements will be shifted upwardly until their lower edges are above the abutment 42 for release of the main latch bolt, and just before such release.

the abutment 24`on lever 20 engages the end 62 of the safety latch lever 8| for unlatching swing of the lever 6i. However, the sequence is such that the safety latching lever will not be shifted sufficient for unlatching engagement until the main latch bolt has been fully released. The final movement of the setting'lever 20 will then swing the safety latch lever for clearance of the latching plate 64 of the keeper lip 61, so that the door can then be swung open. Now when the door i is again swung shut, the safety -latch structure turning of a key from the outside of the vehicle for locking or unlocking of the door by the lever structure 6B. At its inner end the spindle 'I6 may be provided withA an operating lever 8i so that the lever 68 may be actuated for locking or unlocking of the door from the inside of the vehicle. The connection of the spindle with the outside key operable means could be by a swivel or pendently of the latching elements. The locking structure shown comprises a substantially V shaped lever 68 pivoted on'a support 69 on the plate iu, The upper leg lll of the lever forms a lock bolt which projects at its end through and a distance beyond the passageway 'ii provided in the walls il and l2. On the door post or door frame F is secured a keeper fitting 12 which at its outer end provides an upstanding keeper wall ,lt wnosel rear edge is substantially vertical and whose front edge forms an inclined surface 14,. When the locking lever 68 is in unlocking position as shown on Figure 1, the end of the locking les 'it will be above the keeper wall 13 so that the door can be opened. When the lever 68 is rotated in counter-clockwise direction, as shown on rieure u, the end of the legA lli engages be-4 hind tlie keeper wall 'i3 so that the door is locked against opening. When the lever 68 is in its locklne position while the door is open, and the door is swune' sliut, the end of the leg 10 will encounter the inclined front edge 'it of the keeper wall and the lever will be camnied to swing in clock-- wise direction for passage of thisrleg 10 past the keeper wall.,

rior-operating the lever 6d a cam 15 is provided, this earn being substantially oval v shape and mounted at 'its one end on a spindle 16 which, when turned, will swing the cam between the locking leg it of the lever 6d and the lower leg 'll thereof. Normally the cam is in engagement at its outer end with the locking leglu of the lever tit, and when the spindle 'i6 is turnedAcoun-lten-clockwise the cam end will engage with ,the leg 'll for swing of the locking lever into the loclrinsr position shown on Figure 8. A crossnen ter spring` 'it eneageathe extension 1S on the lever tt and a tongue iid on the wall Il)u When' upper leg or the spring 'It crosses the spring cennter, the spring will quickly rotate the lever tu to its locked position as shown on Figure t.,

I When the cam is turned in clockwise direction (Figure d) for unlocking or the lever 68, the cani engages the lesr 'i0 and rotates the lever until the spring crosses its center and the lever will 4then be quickly swung to its unlocked position as shown on Figure 1.

The outer end of, the spindle 18 is preferably connected with a cylinder or tumbler lock (not A shown) so that the cam may be operated by the 75 by lost motion connection 82 (Figure 2) so that if the key operated means on the outside is set for locking of the door, the lever 8l will be free to be turned from the inside of the vehicle for unlocking of the door.

I also provide means whereby the lock bolt lever 68 may be set to locking or unlocking position by operation of the door inside handle. The lock bolt leg 10 of the lever 68 has a pin 83 thereon extending through a slot 84 in the wall IU. A link 85 is pivoted at 36 to the strap 33 operable by the inside handle, and at its outer end this link has the longitudinally extending slot 81 receiving the end of the pin t3 onthe lever 68. When the lever 68 is in unlocking position as shwn on Figure 1, the pin d3 is at the inner end of the slot 8l and when the inside handle 32 is swung upwardly for outward shift of the strap 33, the engagement of the link t5 with the pin 843 will cause the lever 68 to be swung down to its locking position. Thisoutward shift of the strap 33 is independent of the setting lever 2li for the latch -bolt structure by virtue ofv the slot 3l in the strap which receives the pin 2l of the lever 20. Referring to Figure 7, when the strap 33 has been shifted outwardly, a detent spring 8d engages in a notch du in the arm @Il to liold the inside handle assembly and the link 8d for maintaining the lock bolt lever td in locking position. Upon swing of the inside handle 3i back to normal position, in which the spring 8d engages in the notch tu in the arm du, the lock bolt lever tit will remain in its locking position.

lf the lock bolt lever lit has been set to locking position by operation of the outside key means, or by operation of the inside lever di, downward swing of the inside handle it irom its normal position will cause rotation oi the setting lever 2d by the inside handle strap lid for release of the main latch bolt and vsafety latch bolt, and the movement oi the link dii with the strap 33 will eilect swing oi the lock bolt lever tt to its unlocklng position, and the door has been fully unlocked itil for npr-,nine` movement. li the lock lever Eu be inadvertently set to locking posltion'while the dooris open, and the door then slammed shut, the end oi the lock bolt leg lll will encounter the inclined surface lil ol the keeper wall "it and the lever will be automatically set to unlockinn position.

lin automobiles, key means is usually provided on only one oi the iront doors for locking 'or un locklne' oi that door from the outside. The driver, bei'ore leaving the vehicle, will lock the left iront door by setting the lock bolt lever itt to locking position either by the lever di on the inside ol the left irontdoor or by reverse operation of the lnside handle lor that door, and then after he leaves the vehicle ne will close the right iront door and lock it by swinging the lever to locking posi tion by the key means. lt may be desirable to lock or unlock either of the front doors from the outside, and aiter leaving by one front door and locking it, the driver may desire to re-enter through the other front door. Under these conditions, supposing that he will leave by theright I front door, lie-first locks the left front door from the inside and then after leaving through the right front door he closes it and locks it by the key. 'I'hen if he desires to re-enter by the left front door he uses the key for opening of that door, and the right front door, which is then locked from the outside, can be unlocked by operation of the lever 8l on the` right front door or by reverse swing of the inside handle. The driver can not therefore lock himself lout and after reentering the vehicle he can leave it through either door, even if such door has been locked from the t outside. Locking or unlocking of a door from the inside is readily and easily accomplished by the lever 8|, and ordinarily this lever will be used for this purpose, and the inside handle operation will be used for setting the lock bolt lever 68 to locking or unlocking position only when no inside lever BI has been provided. or when it is desired to eii'ect both unlatching and unlocking for opening of the door from the inside for the purpose of leaving the vehicle.

I have shown a practical and eilicient embodiment of the features of my invention but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction. arrangement and operation as shown and described as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

i. Locking means for an automobile door comprising locking structure on the door and keeper structure mounted adjacent to the door, said locking' structure comprising a rockable 'latch bolt engageable with said keeper structure to be rocked thereby into latching engagement therewith when the door is swung shut, dogging means in the locking structure for dogging said latch bolt in latching position, releasing means in said locking structure for said dogging means, a lock bolt element in said locking structure cooperable with said keeper structure to lock the door against opening, an inside handle for the door, means eiective upon movement of said inside handle in one direction for setting said locking bolt element in locking engagement with said keeper structure independently of movement of said releasing means, and means whereby movement of said inside handle in the opposite direction will coincidentally effect release of said dogging means and setting of said locking bolt elementto unlocking position.

2. Locking means for an automobile door comprising lock structure on the door and cooperatreleasing means operable by said handle for effecting release of said vmain latch bolt means and said safety latch bolt means for opening of the door, lock bolt means on the lock structure for cooperating with the keeper structure to lock the door closed independently of said main and safety latch bolt means, setting means for setting said lock bolt means to locked position, and means adapted upon release of said main and safety latch bolt means by said inside handle for effecting resetting of said lock bolt structure to unlocking position.

3. Locking means for an automobile door comprising lock structure on the door and cooperating -keeper structure on the door frame, a main latch bolt on the latch structure cooperable with said keeper means for latching the door in closed position, safety latch bolt means on the lock structure cooperable with said keeper means for latching the door in nearly closed position, lock bolt means on the lock structure for cooperating with the keeper structure to lock the door closed independently of said main and safety latch bolt means, and a common control for said three bolt means.

4. Locking means for an automobile door comprising lock structure on the door and cooperating keeper structure on the door frame, main latch bolt means on the lock structure cooperable with said keeper means for latching the door in closed position, safety latch bolt means on the lock structure independently cooperable with said keeper means for latching of the door in nearly closed position, lock bolt means on the lock structure for cooperating with the keeper structure to lock the door closed independently of said main and safety latch bolt means, handle means on the door, and means controlled by said handle means for effecting simultaneous release of said three bolt means from said keeper structure for opening of the door.

EDWARD D. DALL. 

